What distinguishes mass from weight?

The distinction between mass and weight is primarily rooted in the nature of each concept. Mass refers to the amount of matter contained in an object and remains constant regardless of location. This characteristic signifies that mass is an intrinsic property of matter and does not change unless the actual amount of material is altered.

On the other hand, weight is the force exerted by gravity on that mass. It is dependent on both the mass of the object and the acceleration due to gravity. Since gravitational pull can vary based on location—such as when comparing the weight of an object on Earth versus on the Moon—this variability highlights the relationship between weight and gravitational forces. As such, weight can be seen as an extrinsic property that fluctuates depending on the gravitational environment, which makes weight different from the constant nature of mass.

Other choices presented do not accurately capture this fundamental distinction. For example, mass does not change based on location, and while speed can affect an object's inertial mass in relativistic contexts, it doesn't fundamentally alter the mass itself in typical conditions. Furthermore, weight does not exclusively apply to solid objects; it can be applied to liquids and gases as well, indicating that the choice related to solid objects does not accurately describe the nature of weight.